Rapid River Run Spring Chinook Salmon 2023 Management Strategies
Idaho Fish and Game would like your input on strategies to manage the spring Chinook salmon Rapid River run fishery (lower Salmon and Little Salmon).
Comments will be accepted through February 26.
The 2023 spring Chinook salmon run to Rapid River is forecasted to provide a harvest share of around 3,822 adults. Using this forecast and the spring Chinook seasons and limits proposal table developed with angler input (see table below), we would recommend to the commission the following strategy to manage this fishery:
Fishing 7 days a week
Daily limit of four (4) salmon with no more than two (2) being adults
Season opens the fourth Saturday of April (April 22)
Fishing is allowed on the lower Salmon River from Rice Creek Bridge to Vinegar Creek and on the Little Salmon River from the mouth upstream to the highway 95 bridge near Smokey Boulder Road.
A season limit of 20 adult fish
Efforts would be made to distribute harvest evenly between the lower Salmon River and Little Salmon River. Should the run come in significantly different than forecasted, our goal would be to follow the guidelines specified in the table below.
Chinook seasons and limits proposal table for the Rapid River Run based on harvest share.
Adult Harvest Share
Season
Limit
Open sections
<150
4 days a week
Jacks only
Upper Twin Bridge to Shorts Creek and Little Salmon River
151-750
2 days a week
1 adult
Upper Twin Bridge to Shorts Creek and Little Salmon River
751-2,000
4 days a week
1 adult
Rice Creek Bridge to Vinegar Creek Boat Ramp and Little Salmon River
2,001-3,000
7 days a week
1 adult
Rice Creek Bridge to Vinegar Creek Boat Ramp and Little Salmon River
3,001-12,000
7 days a week
2 adults
Rice Creek Bridge to Vinegar Creek Boat Ramp and Little Salmon River
>12,000
7 days a week
3 adults
Rice Creek Bridge to Vinegar Creek Boat Ramp and Little Salmon River
Map of where spring Chinook salmon fisheries occur in the Lower Salmon and Little Salmon rivers.
Idaho Fish and Game would like your input on strategies to manage the spring Chinook salmon Rapid River run fishery (lower Salmon and Little Salmon).
Comments will be accepted through February 26.
The 2023 spring Chinook salmon run to Rapid River is forecasted to provide a harvest share of around 3,822 adults. Using this forecast and the spring Chinook seasons and limits proposal table developed with angler input (see table below), we would recommend to the commission the following strategy to manage this fishery:
Efforts would be made to distribute harvest evenly between the lower Salmon River and Little Salmon River. Should the run come in significantly different than forecasted, our goal would be to follow the guidelines specified in the table below.
Chinook seasons and limits proposal table for the Rapid River Run based on harvest share.
Adult Harvest Share
Season
Limit
Open sections
<150
4 days a week
Jacks only
Upper Twin Bridge to Shorts Creek and Little Salmon River
151-750
2 days a week
1 adult
Upper Twin Bridge to Shorts Creek and Little Salmon River
751-2,000
4 days a week
1 adult
Rice Creek Bridge to Vinegar Creek Boat Ramp and Little Salmon River
2,001-3,000
7 days a week
1 adult
Rice Creek Bridge to Vinegar Creek Boat Ramp and Little Salmon River
3,001-12,000
7 days a week
2 adults
Rice Creek Bridge to Vinegar Creek Boat Ramp and Little Salmon River
>12,000
7 days a week
3 adults
Rice Creek Bridge to Vinegar Creek Boat Ramp and Little Salmon River